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    AN EXPLANATION OF

    Luther's Small Catechism

    A HANDBOOKFOR

    THE CATECHETICAL CLASS

    BYJOSEPH STUMP, D.D., LL.D., L.H.D .

    AN OUTLINE AND ANALYSIS FOR THE PASTOR'S ORAL INSTRUCTION,AND A SUMMARY FOR THE CATECHUMENS' STUDY

    AND REVIEW AT HOME

    REVISED EDITION

    PHILADELPHIATHE UNITED LUTHERAN PUBLICATION HOUSE

    Copyright, 1907, by theBoard of Publication of the General Council of the

    Evangelical Lutheran Church in North America

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    This book aims to present both an analysis of Luther's Small Catechism and a clear,concise, yet reasonably full explanation of its contents. It is an attempt, upon the basis of twenty years' experience and a study of the literature of the subject, to meet the peculiarwants of the catechetical class in our Lutheran Church in America. The object of thebook is twofold: first, to furnish an outline of teaching which the pastor may use as aguide in his oral explanation and questioning; and secondly, to furnish a sufficientlycomplete summary by means of which the catechumens may review the lesson and fix itssalient points in their minds. No text-book can, of course, adequately supply theparenetical side of the catechetical instruction or take the place of the living exposition bythe pastor. But it can and should support his work, so that what he explains at onemeeting may not be forgotten before the next meeting, but may be fixed in the minds of the catechumens by study at home.

    Since the task of the pastor in catechization is not only to impart religious instruction,but to impart it on the basis of that priceless heritage of our Church, Luther's SmallCatechism, the explanation here offered follows the Catechism closely. The words of thecatechism are printed in heavy-faced type and are used as headings wherever possible;and thus the words of the catechism may be traced as a thread running through the entireexplanation.

    Wherever he deemed it necessary, the author has added a fuller explanation of the text of the catechism than that which Luther gives, and has supplemented its contents withsuch additional matter as the needs of our catechumens require. He does not agree withthose catechetical writers who maintain that the pastor, in his catechization, must confinehimself to an explanation of Luther's explanation . Such a principle would exclude from

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    catechism is confessional as well as didactic, and its words, memorized by thecatechumen, are to become a personal confession of faith. The explanations of a text-

    book, on the other hand, are not to be memorized, but are meant to aid the catechumen ingrasping the thoughts of the catechism. For this purpose, the thetical form is better thanthe interrogative, because the explanation is not continually broken by questions, and isthus better adapted to give the catechumens a connected idea of the doctrines taught.

    Each chapter of this explanation is followed by a number of questions. After thepastor has explained a lesson at one meeting, the catechumens should prepare themselvesto give an answer to the printed questions in their own words at the next meeting. The

    pastor may, of course, substitute other questions, assign additional ones, or eliminatesome. The proof passages for the teachings set forth are cited in the margin. The moreimportant passages, particularly those which the catechumens may be expected tomemorize, are specially indicated by a dagger (), and are printed in full at the end of thechapter. The use of a Scripture lesson is, of course, optional with the pastor. One isindicated, however, for each chapter, and may be read in class or be assigned to thecatechumens to be read at home. The Scriptural illustrations are cited for theconvenience of the pastor in his oral exposition. The division into chapters has beenregulated by the subject-matter, and will, it is hoped, aid in the survey of the contents of the book as a whole. It is not intended that each chapter shall necessarily constitute onelesson. Some lessons will doubtless include only a part of a chapter, while others willinclude several chapters, as the pastor may determine.

    While the author, in the preparation of this explanation of Luther's catechism, has gonehis own way, careful consideration has been given to the voice of those whose study of the problems involved entitled them to be heard. Luther's other catechetical writings, thestandard theoretical works on Catechetics, and numerous monographs have beenconstantly at hand. Explanations of the catechism for the use of pastors and teachershave been freely consulted --among others those of Schuetze Fricke Mehliss Kahle

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    The author has carefully gone over the book and made such revisions and additions asseemed to him advisable. No effort has been made to alter the fundamental nature andpurpose of the book. Its aim has been and still is to present as clearly and simply aspossible the essential teachings of the catechism. The catechist is left at liberty to choosehis own pedagogical method, while the book furnishes in concise form the essentialmaterial which is to be presented to the catechumen

    J.S.MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., 1935

    This text was converted to pdf format for Project Wittenberg by William Alan Larson andis in the public domain. You may freely distribute, copy or print this text. Please direct

    any comments or suggestions to: Rev. Robert E. Smith of the Walther Library atConcordia Theological Seminary.

    E-mail: [email protected] Mail: 6600 N. Clinton St., Ft. Wayne, IN 46825 USA

    Phone: (250) 452-2123 Fax: (260) 452-2126

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    Martin Luther to all faithful and godly Pastors and Preachers: Grace, Mercy and Peace, in Jesus Christ, our Lord!

    The deplorable condition in which I found religious affairs during a recent visitation of the congregations, has impelled me to publish this Catechism, or statement of theChristian doctrine, after having prepared it in very brief and simple terms. Alas! whatmisery I beheld! The people, especially those who live in the villages, seem to have noknowledge whatever of Christian doctrine, and many of the pastors are ignorant andincompetent teachers. And, nevertheless, they all maintain that they are Christians, thatthey have been baptized, and that they have received the Lord's Supper. Yet they cannotrecite the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, or the Ten Commandments; they live as if they wereirrational creatures, and now that the Gospel has come to them, they grossly abuse theirChristian liberty.

    Ye bishops! what answer will ye give to Christ for having so shamefully neglected thepeople, and paid no attention to the duties of your office? I invoke no evil on your heads.But you withhold the cup in the Lord's Supper, insist on the observance of your humanlaws, and yet, at the same time, do not take the least interest in teaching the people theLord's Prayer, the Creed, the Ten Commandments, or any other part of the word of God.Woe unto you!

    Wherefore I beseech you in the Name of God, my beloved brethren, who are pastorsor preachers, to engage heartily in the discharge of the duties of your office, to havemercy on the people who are entrusted to your care, and to assist us in introducing theCatechism among them, and especially among the young. And if any of you do notpossess the necessary qualifications, I beseech you to take at least the following forms,

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    perpetually. When you preach in the presence of intelligent and learned men, you are atliberty to exhibit your knowledge and skill, and may present and discuss these subjects in

    all the varied modes which are at your command. But when you are teaching the young,retain the same form and manner without change; teach them, first of all, the TenCommandments, the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, etc., always presenting the same words of the text, so that those who learn can repeat them after you, and retain them in thememory.

    But if any refuse to receive your instructions, tell them plainly that they deny Christand are not Christians; such persons shall not be admitted to the Lord's Table, nor

    present a child for baptism, nor enjoy any of our Christian privileges, but are to be sentback to the pope and his agents, and, indeed, to Satan himself. Their parents andemployers should, besides, refuse to furnish them with food and drink, and notify themthat the government was disposed to banish from the country all persons of such a rudeand intractable character.

    For although we cannot, and should not, compel them to exercise faith, we ought,nevertheless, to instruct the great mass with all diligence, so that they may know how to

    distinguish between right and wrong in their conduct towards those with whom they live,or among whom they desire to earn their living. For whoever desires to reside in a city,and enjoy the rights and privileges which its laws confer, is also bound to know and obeythose laws. God grant that such persons may become sincere believers! But if theyremain dishonest and vicious, let them at least withhold from public view the vices of their hearts.

    In the second place; when those whom you are instructing have become familiar with

    the words of the text, it is time to teach them to understand the meaning of those words,so that they may become acquainted with the object and purport of the lesson. Thenproceed to another of the following forms, or, at your pleasure, choose any other which is

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    earnestness the Seventh Commandment, which treats of stealing, when you are teachingworkmen, dealers and even farmers and servants, inasmuch as many of these are guilty of

    various dishonest and thievish practices. So, too, it will be your duty to explain andapply the Fourth Commandment with great diligence, when you are teaching children anduneducated adults, and to urge them to observe order, to be faithful, obedient andpeaceable, as well as to adduce numerous instances mentioned in the Scriptures, whichshow that God punished such as were guilty in these things, and blessed the obedient.

    Here, too, let it be your great aim to urge magistrates and parents to rule wisely, and toeducate the children, admonishing them, at the same time, that such duties are imposed

    on them, and showing them how grievously they sin if they neglect them. For in such acase they overthrow and lay waste alike the kingdom of God and the kingdom of theworld, acting as if they were the worst enemies both of God and man. And show themvery plainly the shocking evils of which they are the authors, when they refuse their aidin training up children to be pastors, preachers, writers, etc., and set forth that on accountof such sins God will inflict an awful punishment upon them. It is, indeed, necessary topreach on these things; for parents and magistrates are guilty of sins in this respect, whichare so great that there are no terms in which they can be described. And truly, Satan hasa cruel design in fostering these evils.

    Finally; inasmuch as the people are now relieved from the tyranny of the pope, theyrefuse to come to the Lord's Table, and treat it with contempt. On this point, it is verynecessary that you should give them instructions, while, at the same time, you are to beguided by the following principles: That we are to compel no one to believe, or toreceive the Lord's Supper; that we are not to establish any laws on this point, or appointthe time and place; but that we should so preach as to influence the people, without anylaw adopted by us, to urge, and, as it were, to compel us who are pastors, to administerthe Lord's Supper to them. Now this object may be attained, if we address them in thefollowing manner: It is to be feared that he who does not desire to receive the Lord's

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    done. Let it simply be your aim to set forth distinctly the advantages and losses, thewants and the benefits, the dangers and the blessings, which are to be considered in

    connection with the Sacrament; the people will, doubtless, then seek it without urgentdemands on your part. If they still refuse to come forward, let them choose their ownways, and tell them that those who do not regard their own spiritual misery, and do notdesire the gracious help of God, belong to Satan. But if you do not give such solemnadmonitions, or if you adopt odious compulsory laws on the subject, it is your own faultif the people treat the Sacrament with contempt. Will they not necessarily be slothful, if you are silent and sleep? Therefore consider the subject seriously, ye Pastors andPreachers! Our office has now assumed a very different character from that which it boreunder the pope; it is now of a very grave nature, and is very salutary in its influence. Itconsequently subjects us to far greater burdens and labors, dangers and temptations,while it brings with it an inconsiderable reward, and very little gratitude in the world.But Christ himself will be our reward, if we labor with fidelity. May He grant suchmercy unto us who is the Father of all grace, to whom be given thanks and praisesthrough Christ, our Lord, for ever! Amen. WITTENBERG, A. D. 1529

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    In the plain form in which they are to be taught by the head of a family.

    I am the Lord thy God. Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.

    [Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image or any likeness of anything that isin heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them; for I the Lord thy God am a

    jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourthgeneration of them that hate Me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that loveMe and keep My commandments.]

    What is meant by this Commandment?

    Answer . We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.

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    nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is withinthy gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is,

    and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowedit.]

    What is meant by this Commandment?

    Ans . We should so fear and love God as not to despise His word and the preaching of the Gospel, but deem it holy, and willingly hear and learn it.

    Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which theLord thy God giveth thee.

    What is meant by this Commandment?

    Ans . We should so fear and love God as not to despise nor displease our parents andsuperiors, but honor, serve, obey, love, and esteem them.

    Thou shalt not kill.

    What is meant by this Commandment?

    Ans . We should so fear and love God as not to do our neighbor any bodily harm orinjury but rather assist and comfort him in danger and want

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    Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

    What is meant by this Commandment?

    Ans . We should so fear and love God as not deceitfully to belie, betray, slander, norraise injurious reports against our neighbor, but apologize for him, speak well of him, andput the most charitable construction on all his actions.

    Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house.

    What is meant by this Commandment?

    Ans . We should so fear and love God as not to desire by craftiness to gain possessionof our neighbor's inheritance or home, or to obtain it under the pretext of a legal right, butbe ready to assist and serve him in the preservation of his own.

    Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his man- servant, nor his maid-servant,nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's.

    What is meant by this Commandment?

    A h ld f d l d l hb f f h

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    What is meant by this declaration?

    Ans . God threatens to punish all those who transgress these commandments. Weshould, therefore, dread His displeasure, and not act contrarily to these commandments.But He promises grace and every blessing to all who keep them. We should, therefore,love and trust in Him, and cheerfully do what he has commanded us.

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    In the plain form in which it is to be taught by the head of a family .

    I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.

    What is meant by this Article?

    Ans . I believe that God has created me and all that exists; that He has given and stillpreserves to me my body and soul with all my limbs and senses, my reason and all thefaculties of my mind, together with raiment, food, home, and family, and all my property;that He daily provides me abundantly with all the necessaries of life, protects me from alldanger, and preserves me and guards me against all evil; all which He does out of pure,paternal, and divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me; for allwhich I am in duty bound to thank, praise, serve, and obey Him. This is most certainlytrue.

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    certainly true.

    I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Christian Church, the Communion of Saints; theForgiveness of sins; the Resurrection of the body; and the Life everlasting. Amen.

    What is meant by this Article?

    Ans . I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ myLord, or come to Him; but the Holy Ghost has called me through the Gospel, enlightenedme by his gifts, and sanctified and preserved me in the true faith; in like manner as Hecalls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, andpreserves it in union with Jesus Christ in the true faith; in which Christian Church Hedaily forgives abundantly all my sins, and the sins of all believers, and will raise up me

    and all the dead at the last day, and will grant everlasting life to me and to all who believein Christ. This is most certainly true.

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    In the plain form in which it is to be taught by the head of a family.

    Our Father Who art in heaven.

    What is meant by this Introduction? Ans . God would thereby affectionately encourage us to believe that He is truly our

    Father, and that we are His children indeed, so that we may call upon Him with allcheerfulness and confidence, even as beloved children entreat their affectionate parent.

    Hallowed be Thy Name.

    What is meant by this Petition? Ans . The Name of God is indeed holy in itself; but we pray in this petition that it may

    be hallowed also by us.

    How is this effected? Ans . When the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity, and we, as the children

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    Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

    What is meant by this Petition? Ans . The good and gracious will of God is done indeed without our prayer; but we

    pray in this petition that it may be done by us also.

    When is this effected? Ans . When God frustrates and brings to naught every evil counsel and purpose, which

    would hinder us from hallowing the Name of God, and prevent His kingdom from

    coming to us,--such as the will of the devil, of the world, and of our own flesh; and whenHe strengthens us, and keeps us steadfast in His Word, and in the faith, even unto ourend. This is His gracious and good will.

    Give us this day our daily bread.

    What is meant by this Petition? Ans . God gives indeed without our prayer even to the wicked also their daily bread;

    but we pray in this petition that He would make us sensible of His benefits, and enable usto receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.

    What is implied by the words: Our daily bread? Ans . All things that pertain to the wants and support of this present life; such as food,

    raiment, money, goods, house and land, and other property; a believing spouse and goodchildren; trustworthy servants and faithful magistrates; favorable seasons, peace andhealth; education and honor; true friends, good neighbors, and the like.

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    In the plain form in which it is to be taught by the head of a family.

    I. What is Baptism? Ans . Baptism is not simply water, but it is the water comprehended in God's

    command, and connected with God's Word.

    What is that Word of God? Ans . It is that which our Lord Jesus Christ spoke, as it is recorded in the last chapter

    of Matthew, verse 19: Go ye, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of theFather, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

    II. What gifts or benefits does Baptism confer? Ans . It works forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and the devil, and confers

    everlasting salvation on all who believe, as the Word and promise of God declare.

    What are such words and promises of God?

    Ans . Those which our Lord Jesus Christ spoke, as they are recorded in the last chapterof Mark, verse 16: He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved; but he thatbelieveth not shall be damned.

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    should daily come forth and rise, that shall live in the presence of God in righteousnessand purity forever.

    Where is it so written?

    Ans . St Paul, in the Epistle to the Romans, chapter 6, verse 4, says: We are buriedwith Christ by Baptism into death; that like as He was raised up from the dead by theglory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

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    In the plain form in which it is to be taught by the head of a family.

    What is the Sacrament of the Altar? Ans . It is the true Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, under the bread and wine,

    given unto us Christians to eat and to drink, as it was instituted by Christ Himself.

    Where is it so written? Ans . The Holy Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, together with St. Paul, write

    thus: Our Lord Jesus Christ, the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread: andwhen He had given thanks, He brake it, and gave it to His disciples, and said, Take, eat;this is my Body, which is given for you: this do, in remembrance of Me. After the samemanner also He took the cup, when He had supped, gave thanks, and gave it to them,saying, Drink ye all of it: this cup is the new testament in my Blood, which is shed foryou, for the remission of sins: this do as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

    What benefits are derived from such eating and drinking? Ans . They are pointed out in these words: given and shed for you, for the remissionof sins. Namely, through these words, the remission of sins, life and salvation are

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    In the plain form in which it is to be taught by the head of a family.

    In the Morning, when thou risest, thou shalt say:

    In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

    Then kneeling or standing, thou shalt say the Apostles' Creed and the Lord's Prayer:

    Then mayest thou say this Prayer:

    I give thanks unto Thee, Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ Thy dear Son, thatThou hast protected me through the night from all danger and harm; and I beseech Theeto preserve and keep me this day also, from all sin and evil; that in all my thoughts,words, and deeds, I may serve and please Thee. Into Thy hands I commend my body andsoul, and all that is mine. Let Thy holy angel have charge concerning me, that the wickedone may have no power over me. Amen.

    And then shoudst thou go with joy to thy work, after a Hymn, or the TenCommandments, or whatever thy devotion may suggest.

    In the Evening, when thou goest to bed, thou shall say:

    In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

    Then kneeling or standing thou shalt say the Apostles' Creed and the Lord's Prayer

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    In the plain form in which it is to be taught by the head of a family.

    Before meat, the members of the family surrounding the table reverently and with folded hands, there shall be said:

    The eyes of all wait upon Thee, O Lord: and Thou givest them their meat in due

    season. Thou openest Thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing. Then shall be said the Lord's Prayer, and after that this Prayer:

    O Lord God, Heavenly Father, bless unto us these Thy gifts, which of Thy tenderkindness Thou hast bestowed upon us, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

    After meat, reverently and with folded hands, there shall be said :

    O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever. Hegiveth food to all flesh; He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens whichcry. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear Him; in those that hope in His mercy.

    Then shall be said the Lord's Prayer, and after that this Prayer:

    We give thanks to Thee, O God, Our Father, for all Thy benefits, through Jesus Christour Lord, Who with Thee liveth and reigneth, for ever and ever. Amen.

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    Or, certain passages of the Scriptures, selected for various orders and conditions of men, wherein their respective duties are set forth.

    A bishop must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of goodbehavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach; not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; one that ruleth well his own house,having his children in subjection with all gravity; not a novice, but holding fast the

    faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhortand to convince the gainsayers.--I Tim. 3:2-6; Tit. 1:9.

    Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of theGospel.--I Cor. 9:14. Let him that is taught in the Word communicate unto him thatteacheth in all good things.--Gal. 6:6: Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in word and doctrine. For the Scripture saith,Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The laborer is worthy of hisreward.--I Tim. 5:17,18. Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves;for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joyand not with grief; for that is unprofitable for you.--Heb. 13:17.

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    that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness andhonesty.--I Tim. 2. Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, etc.--Tit.

    3:1. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be tothe king as supreme; or unto governors as unto them that are sent, etc.--I Pet. 2:13.

    Ye husbands, dwell with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor unto thewife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your

    prayers be not hindered.--I Pet. 3:7. And be not bitter against them.-- Col. 3:19.

    Wives submit yourselves unto your husbands, as unto the Lord--even as Sarah obeyedAbraham, calling him lord; whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are notafraid with any amazement.--Eph. 5:22; 1 Pet. 3:6.

    Ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture andadmonition of the Lord.--Eph. 6:4.

    Child b i h L d f hi i i h H h f h d h

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    Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject oneto another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace tothe humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He mayexalt you in due time.--I Pet. 5:5,6.

    She that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth insupplications and prayers night and day; but she that liveth in pleasure is dead while sheliveth.--I Tim. 5:5,6.

    Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Herein are comprehended all the

    commandments.--Rom. 13:9,10. And persevere in prayer for all men.--I Tim. 2:1,2.

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    THE BIBLE is the inspired and unerring record of what God has revealed to menconcerning Himself and the Way of Salvation. 1 Hence, if we ask, What must I do to besaved? the answer to our question must be sought in the Bible. It tells us what to believeand what to do in order that we may belong to God's kingdom on earth and in heaven. 2 Itis the only rule and standard of Christian faith and life.

    WHY NEEDED. Even without the Bible, men know that there is a Higher Being.Their own conscience tells them that there is a God who will punish them if they dowrong; 3 and the works of nature proclaim that there is an Almighty Being who createdthem. 4 But the knowledge of God which men gain from their own conscience and fromnature is insufficient. Neither nature nor conscience can tell us anything about the Wayof Salvation which God has prepared for us in Jesus Christ. It is only from the Bible thatwe can learn how we shall be saved.

    ITS INSPIRATION. The Bible is the Word of God. It was written by holy menwhom God inspired. 5 It contains knowledge which no man could have discovered by hisown power. It foretells events which no uninspired man could have foreseen. It containsteachings so exalted and holy that they could not have originated in the heart of man. Itpossesses a power such as no merely human book ever did or could possess. 6

    ITS OBJECT is to make us wise unto salvation.7

    It is to be a lamp unto our feet and alight unto our path 8 to guide us safely through this world to our heavenly home. Itcontains all that we need to know and all that we ever shall know in this world

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    Testament reaches from the birth of Christ to the end of the world, and shows how Christcame and established His kingdom.

    LAW AND GOSPEL. The Bible contains Law,10

    telling us what we must do, andGospel, 11 telling us how we are to be saved. The Old Testament contains principallyGospel. But there are Law and Gospel in both. The Gospel in the Old Testament isprophetical. The Old Testament prepared the way for the New; the New Testament is thefulfillment of the Old. With the New Testament, God's revelation to men wascompleted; 12 no further revelation will be given.

    THE BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

    Historical

    Genesis, Judges, I Chronicles,

    Exodus, Ruth, II Chronicles,

    Leviticus, I Samuel, Ezra,

    Numbers, II Samuel, Nehemiah,

    Deuteronomy, I Kings, Esther

    Joshua, II Kings,

    Poetical

    Job, Proverbs, Song of SolomonPsalms, Ecclesiastes,

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    concerning Christ who should come to save men) which God sent to the Israelitesthrough the prophets. The first four prophets are called the Major Prophets; and the lasttwelve, the Minor Prophets.

    THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

    Historical

    Matthew, Luke, Acts

    Mark, John,

    Didactical

    Romans, I Thessalonians, James,

    I Corinthians, II Thessalonians, I Peter,

    II Corinthians, I Timothy, II Peter,

    Galatians, II Timothy, I John,

    Ephesians, Titus, II John,

    Philippians, Philemon, III John,

    Colossians, Hebrews, Jude

    Prophetical

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    England in 1611, during the reign of James I. The Revised Version is an improvedtranslation made by a body of learned men in England and America and published in1881-1885. The Bible in whole or in part has been translated into a thousand or morelanguages and dialects.

    QUESTION.--1. What is the Bible? 2. What does it tell us? 3. Why do we need it? 4. Why dowe say that the Bible is the Word of God? 5. What is its object? 7. What does it contain? 7. Of what two parts does the Bible consist, and how far do they reach? 8. What do we mean by Law andGospel, and where are they found? 9. What is the relation between the Old and New Testaments?10. Name the books of the Old Testament. 11. What do the historical, poetical and propheticalbooks of the Old Testament contain? 12. Name the books of the New Testament. 13. What do thehistorica, didactical and prophetical books of the New Testament contain? 14. How many canonicalbooks of the Bible are there? 15. In what languages was the Bible originally written? 16. Tell whatyou know about the English Bible? 17. Into how many languages has the Bible in whole or in partbeen translated?

    SCRIPTURE VERSES.--II Tim. 3:16,17. All

    Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and isprofitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction,for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto allgood works.

    Matt. 6:33. Seek ye first the kingdom of God,and his righteousness; and all these things shall beadded unto you.

    Acts 16:30,31. What must I do to be saved?And they ssaid, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,and thou shalt be saved and thy house

    holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise

    unto salvation through faith which is in ChristJesus.

    Prov. 9:10. The fear of the Lord is thebeginning of wisdom.

    Ps. 119:105. They word is a lamp unto myfeet, and a light unto my path.

    Micah 6:8. He hath showed thee, O man, what

    is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee,but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.

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    THE LAW

    The Ten Commandments are called the Moral Law , or more briefly the Law, andsometimes the Decalogue or the Ten Words. They make known to us God's will, whichis the law for all His creatures. Each commandment has a negative side, and forbidssomething; each has also a positive side, and commands or enjoins something.

    THE GIVING OF THE LAW. The Law of God was originally written in man's heartat creation. 1 We call that law in the heart, Conscience. After the fall into sin, theconscience became darkened, and men did not always know right from wrong, and fellinto gross idolatry. 2 God, therefore, through Moses at Mount Sinai, gave men His lawanew, 3 written on two Tables of stone. 4 He also gave the Israelites national andceremonial laws. These, being meant for a particular people and a certain era of theworld, are no longer binding upon us. But the Moral Law has been expressly confirmedby our Lord Jesus Christ as valid for all time and binding upon all men. 5

    THE SUBSTANCE OF THE LAW is, Thou shalt love the Lord Thy God with all thyheart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind and Thou shalt love thy neighbor asthyself.

    THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW is, 1. To put a check upon wicked men, 6 2. To

    convince us of our sinfulness7

    and our need of the Saviour,8

    and 3. To be our rule andguide for Christian conduct. 9 It is especially with respect to the second purpose herementioned, that the Ten Commandments were assigned by Luther to the first and not to a

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    QUESTIONS.--1. What other names are given to the Ten Commandments? 2. What do theymake known to us? 3. What two sides are there to each commandment? 4. Where was the law of God originally written? 5. Why and when was the Law given anew? 6. Why is the Moral Law

    binding upon us, while the national and ceremonial laws of Israel are not? 7. What is the substanceof the Law? 8. What is the threefold purpose of the Law? 9. Into how many Tables is the Lawdivided, and what does each Table teach? 10. How many commandments does each Table include?

    SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Matt. 22: 37-40.Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thyGod with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, andwith all thy mind. This is the first and greatcommandment. And the second is like unto it,

    Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On thesetwo commandments hang all the law and theprophets.

    Rom. 3:20. Therefore by the deeds of the lawthere shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by

    the law is the knowledge of sin.

    Gal. 3:24. Wherefore the law was ourschoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that wemight be justified by faith.

    John 14:15. If ye love me, keep mycommandments.

    Matt. 7:12. Therefore all things whatsoever yewould that men should do to you, do ye even so tothem: for this is the law and the prophets.

    READING.--The Giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai, Exod. 19 and 20.

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    I am the Lord thy God.

    THESE INTRODUCTORY WORDS show who is the Lawgiver. 1 As earthly kingsplace their names at the beginning of their decrees to give them authority, so God placesHis name at the beginning of the commandments in order to make known who givesthem, and whose displeasure we shall incur if we disobey them. These introductorywords belong not only to the first but to all the commandments.

    I AM . By these words God reminds us that He is a Person. He speaks to us. He isnot an impersonal God who pervades and is a part of nature. He is above nature and hascreated it. 2

    THE LORD . The word here translated Lord means in the original Hebrew I AMTHAT I AM. 3 God thereby declares that He is the One and Only Self-existent, 4 Eternal, 5

    and Unchangeable Being.6

    He is the true and living God in contradistinction from all so-called gods. 7 The name Jehovah or Lord is used in the Old Testament Scriptures todesignate God as the covenant God of Israel. It signified that He stood in a specially nearrelation to them as His chosen people. The name has the same comforting meaning forChristians; for they are the New Testament people of God. 8

    THY GOD . These words express God's good-will toward us. He is our God wholoves 9 us and cares for us. 10 He said to Israel, I am the Lord thy God, which brought

    thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. He has delivered us from thestill greater bondage of sin, death, and the devil through His Son Jesus Christ, 11 and has aright to expect our gratitude and love

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    2. Unchangeable ; He always was and always will be the same. 14

    3. Omnipresent ; He is present everywhere at the same time and all the time. 15

    4. Omniscient ; He knows all the past, present, and future, and is acquainted withevery thought, desire, and purpose of our hearts. 16

    5. Omnipotent , or Almighty; He is able to do all things which He wills to do. 17

    6. Holy ; He is perfectly pure, and separate from all that is evil. 18

    7. Just ; He will bless those who keep His law, and punish those who break it. 19

    8. All-wise; He always knows what is the best thing to do, and the best way to do it. 20

    9. Good ; He is Love itself. 21 He is kind even to the unthankful, 22 merciful to thepenitent soul for Jesus' sake 23 and longsuffering toward the impenitent in order to leadthem to repentance by His goodness. 24

    10. Faithful and True ; He can be absolutely relied upon to do all that He haspromised or threatened. 25

    Because of the Majesty and goodness of the Lord our God, we should FEAR andLOVE HIM, and KEEP His commandments.

    QUESTIONS.--1. What do the introductory words show? 2. Of what do the words I amremind us? 3. What is the meaning of the Hebrew word translated Lord? 4. What do the wordsthy God express? 5. From what bondage has God delivered us? 6. Name and define God'sattributes. 7. Why should we fear and love God?

    SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Exod. 3: 14. AndGod said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM.

    Isa. 44:6. Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his Redeemer the LORD of hosts; I amthe first and I am the last; and beside me there is

    Mal. 3:6. For I am the LORD, I change not.

    Tit. 2:14. Who gave himself for us, that hemight redeem us from all iniquity, and purify untohimself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

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    forgiveness of sins.

    John 4:24. God is a Spirit: and they that

    worship him must worship him in spirit and intruth.

    READINGS--Ps. 14; Ps. 121.

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    "Thou shalt love the Lord Thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy mind, and withall thy soul. "1

    GODThou shalt have no other gods before me.

    What is meant by this Commandment?

    We should fear, love and trust in God above all things.

    THE GREAT COMMANDMENT. This is the great commandment of the Law,because it includes all the rest. 2 Obedience to all the commandments must proceed fromthe love of God which the first commandment requires. 3 Hence the explanation of theother nine begins with the words, "We should so fear and love God."

    This Commandment forbids us to worship false gods, and commands us to worshipthe true God by fearing, loving and trusting in Him above all things.

    1. ALL IDOLATRY. Thou shalt have no other gods. Idolatry is committed by all

    who put anything in God's place, the highest place in the heart. Whatever we set ourheart upon is our god.4

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    highest happiness is found in loving Him.

    How we should show our Love . We should show that we love God above all things

    1. By leading a godly life.23

    2. By loving the things of God, especially the Church andthe Gospel. 24 3. By loving our fellow-men for His sake. 25

    3. We should Trust in God above All Things. We should rely with all our heartupon His love and care, 26 placing our chief dependence on Him, and not on our ownwisdom, skill, or strength, or upon men, money, etc.

    Why. We should trust in God with all our heart because 1. He loves us. 27 2. Heknows all our wants. 28 3. He knows what is best for us. 4. He is able to do all things.5. He has promised to care for us. 29

    How we should show our Trust . If we trust in God above all things we will show thattrust, 1. By freedom from unbelieving care and worry. 30 2. By reliance upon God's helpand protection at all times. 31 3. By committing the entire ordering of our lives to Him. 32

    We have all broken this first commandment: for we have not always and everywherefeared, loved and trusted in God above all things.

    QUESTIONS.--1. Why is this the Great Commandment? 2. Why does the explanation of all theother commandments begin with the words, We should so fear and love God? 3. What does thisfirst commandment forbid? 4. What does it command? 5. What two kinds of idolatry are there?6. Mention some forms of open idolatry. 7. Mention some forms of secret idolatry. 8. What does itmean to fear God above all things? 9. Why should we fear Him? 10. How should we fear Him?11. What does it mean to love God above all things? 12. Why should we love God above all things.13. How should we show our love to God? 14. What does it mean to trust in God above all things?15. Why should we trust in God above all things? 16. How should we show our trust in God?17. Have we kept this commandment?

    SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Prov. 3: 5.6. Trust inthe LORD with all thine heart, and lean not unto

    Matt. 10:37. He that loveth father or mothermore than me is not worthy of me: and he that

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    Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

    Matt. 4:10. Thou shalt worship the Lord thyGod, and him only shalt thou serve.

    Gen. 39:9. How then can I do this greatwickedness, and sin against God?

    Ps. 139:1,2. O Lord, thou hast searched me,and known me. Thou knowest my downsittingand my uprising, thou understandest my thoughtsafar off.

    Rom. 8:15. For ye have not received the spiritof bondage again to fear; but ye have received theSpirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

    I John 5:3. For this is the love of God, that wekeep his commandments: and his commandmentsare not grievous.

    Ps. 73:25,26. Whom have I in heaven but thee?

    and there is none upon earth that I desire besidethee. My flesh and my heart faileth; but God is thestrength of my heart and my portion forever.

    I John 4:19. We love him, because he firstloved us.

    I John 4:9. In this was manifested the love of God towards us, because that God sent his onlybegotten Son into the world, that we might livethrough him.

    I John 4:20. If a man say, I love God, and

    hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that lovethnot his brother whom he hath seen, how can helove God whom he hath not seen?

    I Pet. 5:7. Casting all your care upon him; forhe careth for you.

    Ps. 37:5. Commit thy way unto the Lord, trustalso in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

    READING.--The Golden Calf, Exod. 32, or, The Golden Image Dan. 3.ILLUSTRATIONS.-- Secret Idolatry : Goliath, I Sam. 17:41 seq .; Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 4:25 seq .;

    Herod, Acts 12:21-23; The Rich Young Ruler, Matt, 19:16-22; The Rich Fool, Luke 12:15-21;Slavish Fear ; Adam, Gen. 3:10-11. Child-like Fear : Joseph, Gen. 39:9. Love to God ; Abraham, Gen.22:1-14; Peter and John, Acts 4:19, 20; Jesus, John 4:34. Trust in God : David Fighting Goliath, ISam. 17. Daniel in the Lions' Den, Dan. 6.

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    GOD'S NAMEThou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold

    him guiltless that taketh His name in vain.

    What is meant by this Commandment?We should so fear and love God as not to curse, swear, conjure, lie or deceive by Hisname, but call upon Him in every time of need, and worship Him with prayer, praise andthanksgiving.

    THE NAME OF GOD. 1 A name is that by which we know a person. God's namemeans all by which He is known to us; hence not only the words God, Lord, Jehovah,Jesus Christ, the Almighty, the Eternal, the Omniscient One, etc., but the Word of God

    and the Sacraments, and all holy things. This Commandment forbids the wrong use, andcommands the right use of God's holy name.

    TAKING GOD'S NAME IN VAIN:

    1. Thoughtlessly . God's name is taken in vain thoughtlessly by using it as anexclamation in our conversation, by reading or hearing God's Word without devotion,

    jesting about sacred things, quoting Scripture in fun, and the like. Thoughtlessness is noexcuse. We must give an account to God for every idle word; 2 how much more for everyain se of His name

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    we must be careful to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Falseswearing or perjury is a great sin. It is punished by the State, and will be punished byGod. 8 Swearing by anything beside God's name is forbidden also. 9

    Conjure .10 This commandment forbids all magic arts, witchcraft, sorcery, fortune-telling, and all attempts by signs or formulas to discover what God has kept hidden or toattain what He has withheld. If results are obtained by such means, that is no justificationfor their use. 11 If we desire to obtain help through the use of God's name, we must prayand not conjure.

    Lie . The eighth commandment forbids lying in general; this commandment forbids

    lying by God's name. It is broken by those who teach falsehood and error and yet declarethat they are teaching God's Word. 12

    Deceive by His Name . This is done by those who assume Christ's name by callingthemselves Christians, and yet are hypocrites, and use religion as a cloak. 13

    Sins against this Second Commandment are common, but not small sins. God will nothold him guiltless who commits them.

    We should

    Call upon Him . God has given us His name so that we might call upon Him for Hishelp and grace. 14

    In Every Time of Need . We should call upon God in every time of trouble, danger ordistress. 15 But if we call upon God only in times of special need, and do not call upon Hisname at other times also, we are not keeping this commandment.

    And Worship Him 16 in our hearts, in our homes and in church,

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    QUESTIONS.--1. What is meant by God's name? 2. What does this second commandmentforbid and command? 3. How is God's name taken in vain thoughtlessly? 4. How is God's nametaken in vain intentionally? 5. Define cursing. 6. Define swearing. 7. What kind of swearing is

    forbidden? 8. What kind of swearing is permitted? 9. When taking a legal oath, what must we becareful to do? 10. Define conjuring, lying and deceiving by God's name. 11. What is the right useof God's name? 12. Why should we call upon God? 13. When should we call upon Him? 14.Where shall we worship Him? 15. How shall we worship Him?

    SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Matt. 12: 36. But Isay unto you, That every idle word that men shallspeak, they shall give account thereof in the dayof judgment.

    Rom. 12:14. Bless them which persecute you:bless, and curse not.

    Matt. 5:34-37. But I say unto you, Swear not atall; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: norby the earth; for it is his footstool: neither byJerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, becausethou canst not make one hair white or black. Butlet your communication be Yea, yea; Nay, nay;for whatsoever is more than these commeth of evil.

    Lev. 19:12. Ye shall not swear by my namefalsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thyGod: I am the Lord.

    Deut. 18:10-12. There shall not be found

    among you any one that maketh his son or hisdaughter to pass through the fire, or that usethdivination, or an observer of times, or an

    enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulterwith familiar spirits, or a wizard, or anecromancer. For all that do these things are anabomination unto the LORD: and because of these

    abominations the LORD thy God doth drive themfrom before thee.

    II Tim. 3:5. Having a form of godliness, butdenying the power thereof: from such turn away.

    Matt. 15:8. This people draweth nigh unto mewith their mouth, and honoureth me with theirlips; but their heart is far from me.

    Ps. 145:18. The LORD is nigh unto all themthat call upon him, to all that call upon him intruth.

    Ps. 50:15. Call upon me in the day of trouble: Iwill deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

    Matt. 7:7. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek,and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be openedunto you.

    Ps. 106:1. Praise ye the LORD. O give thanksunto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy

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    GOD'S DAYRemember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.

    What is meant by this Commandment?We should so fear and love God as not to despise His Word and the preaching of the

    Gospel, but deem it holy and willingly hear and learn it.

    THE LORD'S DAY. Under the Old Testament the Israelites, by God's command,

    observed the seventh day of the week, Saturday, as the Sabbath or day of rest, becauseGod rested from the work of Creation on the seventh day. 1 For the Christians all days areholy. 2 But from the earliest times the Christian Church set apart Sunday as a special dayof worship, 3 because it is the day on which Christ rose from the dead. The Sabbath of theOld Testament commemorated the completion of Creation ; the Lord's Day of the NewTestament commemorates the completion of Redemption .

    A HOLY DAY. The Lord's Day is to be kept holy by devoting it to holy things. It is

    to be a day of rest in order that it may be a day of worship. Any unnecessary work or anyrecreation which hinders us from hearing and profiting by God's Word is sinful.

    We are not

    To despise God's Word and the Preaching of the Gospel ,4 by

    1. Making light of God's Word, or regarding and treating it as the word of man.2. Neglecting to go to church, and pleading poor excuses for absence. 5

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    1. Regarding it as God's voice speaking to us. 8

    2. Going to church gladly and regularly. 9

    3. Listening attentively and devoutly to God's Word, and joining heartily in theservice. 10

    4 . Attending Sunday-school and learning our lessons.

    5. Teaching in Sunday-school when we have become old enough and our services areneeded.

    6. Reading the Bible and good books.

    7. Doing whatever promotes the worship and honoring of God by ourselves or byothers. 11

    A DAY OF REST. Sunday is meant for the good of the soul. But a rest on one dayout of seven is necessary also for the welfare of the body. Sunday is a blessed privilegefor body, mind, and soul. Sometimes, however, both the rest for body and mind andattendance at church must be sacrificed in order to perform works of mercy as a duty toour fellow-men.

    THE CHURCH-YEAR. The Church has also arranged a Church-year for thecommemoration of the principal events in the Savior's life. The order of the Church-yearis as follows: Four Sundays in Advent, Christmas, New Year, Epiphany (January 6),from two to six Sundays after Epiphany (according as Easter comes early or late); threeSundays called Septuagesima, Sexagesima, Quinquagesima; Ash Wednesday (the firstday in Lent), six Sundays in Lent (the sixth being Palm Sunday), Holy Week (includingGood Friday), Easter, five Sundays after Easter, Ascension Day, Sunday after Ascension,Pentecost or Whitsunday, Trinity Sunday; and from twenty-three to twenty-sevenSundays after Trinity. The Lutheran Church observes also the Festival of the

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    God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as theword of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God,which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

    Ps. 122:1,2. I was glad when they said untome, Let us go into the house of the LORD.

    Luke 11:28. But he said, Yea, rather, blessedare they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

    Jas. 1:21,22. Receive with meekness theengrafted word, which is able to save your souls.But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only,

    deceiving your own selves.Jas. 1:27. Pure religion and undefiled before

    God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherlessand widows in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

    READING.--Jesus in Nazareth on the Sabbath, Luke 4:16-30.

    ILLUSTRATIONS.--The Child Jesus in the Temple, Luke 2:42-52. Simeon and Anna, Luke 2:27

    seq Mary, Luke 10:39. The Ethiopian Eunuch, Acts 8:27 seq . Lydia, Acts 16:14.

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    "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." 1

    OUR NEIGHBOR means every one. We are to love all men as we love ourselves; 2

    not only our relatives, friends, and acquaintances, but strangers, enemies, and people of all nations and climes. We must be ready to do good to all who are in need of our helpand kindness. Compare the Parable of the Good Samaritan. 3

    OUR PARENTS AND SUPERIORS

    Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which theLord thy God giveth thee.

    What is meant by this Commandment?We should so fear and love God as not to despise nor displease our parents and

    superiors, but honor, serve, obey, love and esteem them.

    PARENTS are God's representatives in the family for the maintenance of law andorder in it. They are charged by God with the care and training of their children, and areclothed by Him with authority over them. Their will is law for their children, so long as

    it does not conflict with the law of God.SUPERIORS are those who are placed over us in a position of authority in the Family,

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    OUR TEACHERS in Sunday-school and in other schools are placed over us in aposition of authority, and must therefore be respected and honored.

    RULERS AND THE GOVERNMENT. The State is God's servant to regulatetemporal affairs and to maintain law and order in the land. Rulers and officials of thegovernment must be respected and honored. 16 Christians must be good citizens. Theymust always obey the law, so long as it does not conflict with the law of God. 17 Theyshould be patriotic, pray for their country, be ready to defend it, pay their taxes, and beconcerned that it shall be a Christian land. Every voter shares in the responsibility of securing righteous government, and should cast his vote conscientiously.

    OLD PERSONS in general are to be treated with respect and honor. 18

    A special blessing is promised to those who keep this commandment.

    QUESTIONS.--1. What does the Second Table of the Law teach? 2. What is meant by "ourneighbor"? 3. What is the position of parents in the family? 4. What is meant by "superiors"?5. To whom is our highest obedience due? 6. What does this commandment forbid, and what does itcommand? 7. In order to avoid despising or displeasing our parents, what should we not do? 8. Whyand how should we honor them? 9. How should we serve them? 10. How should we obey them?11. How should we show our love to them? 12. What should we always remember concerning ourparents? 13. What is meant be esteeming them? 14. How should we regard and treat them when wehave grown older? 15. What is our duty to our pastor? 16. What is our duty to our teachers?17. Why should we honor our rulers? 18. What are a Christian's duties to his country? 19. Howmust we treat old persons in general? 20. What special blessing is promised to those who keep thiscommandment?

    SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Prov. 30: 17. The eyethat mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obeyhis mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick itout, and the young eagles shall eat it.

    Deut. 27:16. Cursed be he that setteth light by

    tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whomcustom; fear to whom fear; honour to whomhonour.

    Heb. 13:17. Obey them that have the rule overyou, and submit yourselves: for they watch for

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    ILLUSTRATIONS.-- Despising and displeasing parents : Jacob's sons, Gen. 37; Eli's sons, I Sam.2:22-25; Absalom, II Sam. 15. Honoring them : Jesus, Luke 2:51.

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    HUMAN LIFEThou shalt not kill.

    What is meant by this Commandment?We should so fear and love God as not to do our neighbor any bodily harm or injury,

    but rather assist and comfort him in danger and want.

    HUMAN LIFE is sacred. It is man's most precious earthly possession; for without it

    he cannot enjoy any other. This commandment is meant to guard it. We dare not shortenanother person's life, nor our own. God gives life, and He alone has the right to take itaway.

    This commandment forbids us to kill or injure other persons or ourselves. Itcommands us to assist and comfort our neighbor in danger and want.

    We must not

    1. KILL OR INJURE OTHER PERSONS.

    Murder . To destroy any human life, even if it be very young or yet unborn, is a greatcrime. He who commits murder is to be punished with death. 1 Among the motiveswhich prompt to murder are anger, hatred, 2 envy, 3 jealously, revenge, 4 frivolity, avarice,robbery, and a desire to hide past sin. 5 We must be on our guard against all that would

    ever tempt us to this great crime. Duels . It is foolish as well as sinful to pretend to establish the right or wrong of a

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    men guilty of sin against this commandment

    Neglect to Warn others of impending danger or neglect to assist them in need mayresult in their in- jury or death.

    The law recognizes our right to defend our life when it is unjustly assailed. But killingothers in self-defense must be our last resort. Many persons act hastily. The official whoinflicts the death penalty on condemned criminals is not guilty of wrong, but is doing hisduty as an officer of the State. 8

    It is a sin to kill our neighbor's soul by tempting him to sin, or enticing him to wrong-doing by our evil example.

    2. KILL OR INJURE OURSELVES.

    Suicide is often prompted by despair, remorse, 9 cowardice, recklessness, or insanity.But it is sinful as well as foolish and cowardly. He who commits it robs himself of theopportunity to repent, and leaves others to bear the burdens from which he shrank. If weare tempted to despair, we should not commit suicide, but seek comfort and strength inGod's Word. If we have fallen into disgrace by sin, we should repent and lead a betterlife.

    Duels . We not only have no right to endanger another's life by a duel, but we have noright to endanger our own. The duel, which was once a common practice, has justlyfallen under the condemnation of public opinion.

    A Life of Sin . Impurity, drunkenness, gluttony, or dissipation will shorten our life, andmake us die before our alloted time.

    Disregard of the Laws of Health , overwork, needless exposure, carelessness, violent

    anger, needless worry, are all forbidden by this commandment. The voluntary sacrificeof our life for truth and right (martyrdom), or in defense of our country, or in an effort to

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    2. In Want . We should

    Aid the poor and destitute.

    Minister to the sick.Comfort the afflicted and distressed.

    Give to organized charities: orphanages, asylums, hospitals, rescue-work, etc.

    Give to missions in order to save souls.

    QUESTIONS.--1. What is to be said about the sacrednesss of human life? 2. What does this fifthcommandment forbid? 3. What does it command? 4. Whom are we forbidden to kill or injure?

    5. Mention some ways in which this commandment is broken with respect to others. 6. What is tobe said about the sin of murder and its punishment? 7. What are some of the motives which promptmen to murder? 8. What is to be said about duels? 9. Is war right? 10. What does the Bible sayabout hatred? 11. What is to be said about useless risks, accidents, maltreatment, etc.? 12. What isto be said about neglecting to warn or assist others? 13. What is to be said about the right of self-defense? 14. What is to be said about the official who inflicts the death-penalty on criminals?15. Mention some ways in which this commandment is broken with respect to self. 16. Whatmotives prompt men to suicide, and how should we guard against such a sin? 17. What is to be saidabout the folly and cowardice of the suicide's act? 18. What is to be said of the voluntary sacrifice of our life? 19. How are we to assist our neighbor in danger? 20. How are we to assist and comforthim in want?

    SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Gen. 9:6. Whososheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood beshed: for in the image of God made he man.

    Rom. 12:19. Dearly beloved, avenge notyourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it

    is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saiththe Lord.

    away from you, with all malice: and be ye kindone to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one an-other, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgivenyou.

    Gal. 6:10. As we have there- fore opportunity,

    let us do good unto all men, especially unto themwho are of the household of faith.

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    PURITY, MARRIAGEThou shalt not commit adultery.

    What is meant by this Commandment?We should so fear and love God as to be chaste and pure in our words and deeds, each

    one also loving and honoring his wife or her husband.

    This commandment is meant to preserve our personal purity, and to guard the holy

    estate of marriage. It forbids adultery and all impurity. It commands chastity and purityin thought, word, and deed.

    We should be Chaste and Pure

    In Heart . We should keep our heart free from impure thoughts and desires. 1 God judges us by the state of our heart. 2 Unchaste thoughts must not be delighted in norharbored, but subdued and stamped out. They poison the soul. They are themselves atransgression of this commandment, 3 and they lead to further transgressions of it by wordand deed.

    In Words . We must avoid immodest conversation, unchaste words, vile stories, andshameless jests. 4 Such things are not smart, as many think, but vile and despicable. Weshould never take part in nor listen to a conversation which we would be ashamed to haveoverheard by persons whom we respect.

    In Deeds . We should carefully avoid every act which would bring the blush of shameh k if i k h h i i h i h O

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    and drinking, and all that would incite to impurity. We should keep our minds occupiedwith good thoughts and desires, so that we have no room for evil ones. 10

    Marriage is the union of one man and one woman for life in the bonds of love andfaithfulness.

    A Holy Estate . Marriage was instituted by God in Eden, 11 and was sanctioned byChrist, who performed His first miracle at a wedding. 12 It is a holy estate. Celibacy isnot a holier estate than marriage, as the Roman Catholic Church maintains. 13

    Indissoluble . The marriage tie is binding until one of the married persons dies.14

    Except by death, the marriage relation cannot be broken or dissolved without sin againstthis sixth commandment. 15 If one party to the marriage is guilty of adultery, the innocentparty may obtain a divorce. No other divorces are allowed by Christ.

    An Important Step . Marriage is the most important step in life. It must not be enteredinto hastily or thoughtlessly. If a mistake is made in the choice of a partner for life, themistake can never be remedied. Those who contemplate such a step should pray for

    God's guidance. Marriage should not be entered upon for money, social advantages, andthe like, but for love. Parents should be consulted. While marriage by a civil magistrateis valid, Christians should seek God's blessing upon their union and be married by Hisordained servant. The laws of the State must be carefully obeyed. Marriage betweennear relatives is forbidden by God's Word. 16 Those who are married should, if possible,be of the same faith. Marriages between Protestants and Roman Catholics are seldomhappy.

    Duty of Husband 17

    and Wife .18

    Each should love and honor his wife or her husband.The man is the head of the family, but he must not be a tyrant. The wife is not his slave,but his dearest companion They are no longer two but one with a common love a

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    forbid and command? 3. What is to be said about purity of heart? 4. What is to be said about purityin words? 5. What is to be said about purity in deeds? 6. Mention some of the consequences whichoften follow upon impurity. 7. How may we keep ourselves pure? 8. What is marriage? 9. Why ismarriage a holy estate? 10. How long is the marriage tie binding? 11. When only and by whomdare a divorce be obtained? 12. Why must marriage not be entered upon hastily or thoughtlessly?13. What care should be exercised by those who think of being married? 14. What is the duty of husband and wife?

    SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Matt. 5:8. Blessedare the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

    Prov. 4:23. Keep thy heart with all diligence:for out of it are the issues of life.

    Matt. 5:28. But I say unto you, That whosoeverlooketh on a woman to lust after her hathcommitted adultery with her already in his heart.

    Eph. 4:29. Let no corrupt communicationproceed out of your mouth, but that which is goodto the use of edifying, that it may minister graceunto the hearers.

    I Cor. 6:19,20. What! know ye not that yourbody is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is inyou, which ye have of God, and ye are not yourown? For ye are bought with a price: thereforeglorify God in your body and in your spirit, whichare God's.

    I Cor. 3:16,17. Know ye not that ye are thetemple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth

    in you? If any man defile the temple of God, himshall God destroy: for the temple of God is holy,

    hi h l

    manifest, which are these, Adultery, fornication,uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft,hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife,seditions, heresies, envyings, murders,drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of thewhich I tell you before, as I have also told you intimes past, that they which do such things shallnot inherit the kingdom of God.

    Matt. 26:41. Watch and pray, that ye enter notinto temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but theflesh is weak.

    Matt. 19:6. What therefore God hath joined

    together, let not man put asunder.Matt. 5:32. But I say unto you, That whosoever

    shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: andwhosoever shall marry her that is divorcedcommitteth adultery.

    Eph. 5:25. Husbands, love your wives, even asChrist also loved the church, and gave himself forit.

    E h 5 22 Wi b i l

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    PROPERTY, HONESTYThou shalt not steal.

    What is meant by this commandment?We should so fear and love God as not to rob our neighbor of his money or property,

    nor bring it into our possession by unfair dealing or fraudulent means, but rather assisthim to improve and protect it.

    THE OBJECT of this commandment is to protect every man in the possession of thatwhich is lawfully his own. Without such protection the individual could not support hislife, and society could not exist. The industrious and thrifty would be at the mercy of thelazy and wicked. This commandment forbids us to use dishonest means of acquiringproperty. It commands us to assist our neighbor to improve and protect his own.

    PROPERTY consists of whatever each person lawfully acquires of the earth's lands,forests, water, mines, houses, goods or money. It may be rightfully acquired by originalclaim, inheritance, gift, or labor of body or mind. Honest labor united with economy isthe best way to acquire it.

    UNEQUAL DIVISION. God, who is the absolute owner of all things, 1 divides to eachas He will. 2 He maketh poor and maketh rich. 3 Much poverty, however, is due tomen's own laziness, idleness, 4 carelessness or extravagance; and much wealth has been

    wrongfully gained contrary to God's will as expressed in this commandment.Communism , or the equal division of property among all men is not practicable. It failedin the apostolic Church 5 If all things were equally divided some would soon clamor for

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    we are rich or poor, we should so use our property as to be able to give an account toGod. For ourselves and those dependent on us 11 we should use it for the supply of ourbodily needs (food, clothing, shelter, a reasonable amount of pleasure) and of our

    spiritual needs 12 (the Church and the Gospel). F or our fellow-men we should, whennecessary, use it according to our ability for their bodily needs (the poor) and theirspiritual needs (Home and Foreign Missions). 13

    1. Robbing our Neighbor. The grossest forms of dishonesty are Robbery, Theft,Burglary, Embezzlement, and Forgery. These are recognized by all as wrong. But it is

    also wrong to bring our neighbor's property into our possession by2. Unfair Dealing and Fraudulent Means ,14 such as Concealing stolen property,

    Withholding lost or borrowed property, Evading taxes, Refusing to pay debts, Wilfulidleness and beggary, Betting and gambling, Lotteries and chancing, Bribery, Uselesslawsuits, Negligent management of another's property, Stealing car-rides, Unfaithfullabor, Insufficient wages, Cornering the market, Overcharging, Usury, Adulteratinggoods, Giving short weight or measure, and Cheating of any kind.

    3. Dishonesty in the Heart . Dishonesty has its source in the covetousness and greedof the human heart. 15 Men first covet, and then steal or defraud. We must beware of covetousness. 16 The love of money is a root of all evil. 17 We must be honest even insmall matters. He who is dishonest in little will be dishonest in much. 18 We must avoidall that would tempt us to dishonesty; namely, evil companions, idleness, speculation,extravagance, etc.

    We should

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    We must be helpful and charitable toward our fellow-men.

    QUESTIONS.--1. What is the object of the seventh commandment? 2. What does thiscommandment forbid? 3. What does it command? 4. How may property be rightfully acquired? 5.

    Explain why property is unequally divided among men. 6. What is to be said about communism?7. Why is he who is neither rich nor poor the happiest man? 8. What is the right use of property?9. Mention some gross forms of dishonesty. 10. Mention some other ways in which thiscommandment is broken. 11. Where does dishonesty have its source? 12. If we would be honest,what must we guard against? 13 . In what ways does this commandment require us to assist ourneighbor?

    SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Prov. 22: 2. The richand poor meet to- gether: the LORD is the maker

    of them all.

    II Thess. 3:10. This we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

    Prov. 30:7-9. Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die: Remove farfrom me vanity and lies; give me neither povertynor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

    lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is theLORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take thename of my God in vain.

    Prov. 15:16-17. Better is little with the fear of the LORD, than great treasure and troubletherewith. Better is a dinner of herbs where loveis, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

    I Tim. 6.17. Charge them that are rich in this

    world, that they be not highminded, nor trust inuncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth

    easier for a camel to go through the eye of aneedle, than for a rich man to enter into the

    kingdom of God.

    I Tim. 5:8. But if any provide not for his own,and specially for those of his own house, he hathdenied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

    Luke 12:15. And he said unto them, Takeheed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's lifeconsisteth not in the abundance of the things

    which he possesseth.I Tim. 6:10. For the love of money is the root

    of all evil: which while some coveted after, theyhave erred from the faith, and pierced themselvesthrough with many sorrows.

    Eph. 4:28. Let him that stole steal no more: butrather let him labour, working with his hands thething which is good, that he may have to give to

    him that needeth.Heb. 13:16. But to do good and to

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    TRUTHFULNESSThou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

    What is meant by this commandment? We should so fear and love God as not deceitfully to belie, betray, slander, nor raise

    injurious reports against our neighbor, but apologize for him, speak well of him, and putthe most charitable construction on all his actions.

    THE OBJECT of this commandment is to secure truthfulness,1

    and to guard our goodname. 2 Without truthfulness we could not believe anything we heard, and the utmostconfusion would prevail in the affairs of men. A good name is one of our most preciousearthly possessions.

    This commandment forbids all lying. It commands perfect truthfulness and acharitable judgment of others.

    ALL LYING is forbidden. 3 False witness against other persons is the worst form of lying. All lesser forms of lying are forbidden along with the greater.

    1. False Witness against our Neighbor . We must not tell a falsehood about anotherperson either in court or in every-day life. We must not

    Belie him , that is, tell an untruth about him.

    Betray .4 We must not abuse our neighbor's confidence by revealing his innocentsecrets, and thus annoying or harming him. One who pretends to be another's friend, and

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    for every word we speak. 8

    2. Lying of Any Kind . A lie is a conscious falsehood uttered with the purpose of deceiving. It may be acted as well as spoken. 9 We must not deceive nor try to deceiveothers by telling an untruth, by hiding the truth or a part of it, by hypocrisy, flattery,boasting, broken promises, conventional lies, white lies, lies of necessity, guessesgiven as facts, etc.

    1. Truthfulness . Truth is of God; 10 lying is of the devil. 11 As children of God we mustbe truthful. 12 A liar is an abomination in God's sight. 13 If necessary, we should be readyto suffer and die for the truth.

    2. A Charitable Judgment of Others . We should

    Apologize for our Neighbor , and defend him when his character is unjustlyassailed. 14 We must be careful, however, not to excuse or make light of sin. 15 We should

    Speak well of him whenever we can do so truthfully. We should speak of his virtuesrather than of his faults. 16 If we cannot speak well of him, then, unless it is absolutelynecessary, we had better not speak of him at all. We should

    Put the most Charitable Construction on all his Actions. 17 We should, as far aspossible, make the best and not the worst of what our neighbor says and does. We shouldthink and speak of him only in kindness.

    QUESTIONS.--1. What is the object of this commandment? 2. What does it forbid? 3. Whatdoes it command? 4. What is the worst form of lying? 5. What is included under false witness?6. What is meant by belying our neighbor? 7. What is to be said about betraying him? 8. What is tobe said about slander and the slanderer? 9. Define a lie. 10. In what ways do men speak and actlies? 11. Why should we be truthful? 12. What is to be said about apologizing for our neighbor? 13.

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    A RIGHT HEART

    Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house.

    What is meant by this Commandment?We should so fear and love God as not to desire by craftiness to gain possession of our

    neighbor's inheritance or home, or to obtain it under the pretext of a legal right; but beready to assist and serve him in the preservation of his own.

    Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant,nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's.

    What is meant by this Commandment?We should so fear and love God as not to alienate our neighbor's wife from him, entice

    away his servants, nor let loose his cattle, but use our endeavors that they may remain anddischarge their duty to him.

    Both these commandments forbid coveting; hence, we may consider them together.They deal with the root and source of all sin; namely, the evil lusts and desires of theheart. 1

    THE OBJECT of these two commandments is to emphasize the necessity of a rightstate of heart. 2 All the commandments must, indeed, be kept in thought as well as inword and deed. But by adding these two special commandments against coveting, God

    desires to impress upon us most strongly that wrong thoughts and desires make us guiltybefore Him. We are not keeping God's commandments unless we are free from the

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    obtain something in a lawful way is not coveting. But we must not have

    1. A n Unlawful Desire 7 for our neighbor's possessions, whether it be his property,wife, servants, cattle, or anything that is his. We must not envy him on account of them,nor begrudge them to him, nor wish that we had them in his stead. We must not make

    2. Any Attempt to Gratify such Unlawful Desires and to gain possession of ourneighbor's inheritance or home

    By Craftiness, shrewdness, cunning, deceit and the like. 8 Nor dare we seek to obtainit

    Under the Pretext of a Legal Right; that is, by ways which human laws allow andappear to sanction, but which are not right before God. 9 Nor dare we attempt to

    Alienate (estrange), entice or drive away from him his wife, servants, or cattle, bypersuasion, flattery, falsehood, promises, threats, or force.

    ASSISTANCE AND SERVICE. We should

    1. Assist and Serve him in the Preservation of his Own. 10 Instead of wishing to gethis property away from him, we should most heartily wish that he may be able to keep it,and should help him to retain it. We should

    2. Use our Endeavors that they who belong to him may remain and dischargetheir duty to him. We should help him to retain their affec tion and faithfulness. Weshould heartily wish them to remain, and persuade them to do so.

    QUESTIONS.--1. Why may these two commandments be considered together? 2. With what dothey deal? 3. What is the object of these two commandments? 4. When only are we keeping God's

    d ? 5 Wh i b id b h l f h h 6 Wh d h

    l d h h h h h d f k l

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    Gal. 5:24. And they that are Christ's havecrucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

    Matt. 23:14. Woe unto you, scribes and

    Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye devour widows'

    houses, and for a pretence make long prayer:therefore, ye shall receive the greater damnation.

    Phil. 2:4. Look not every man on his own

    things, but every man also on the things of others.READING.--Naboth's Vineyard. I Kings 21:1-19.

    ILLUSTRATIONS.-- Coveting : Ahab; David, II Sam. 12; Absalom, II Sam. 15. Assistance and Service : Paul, Philemon 10-17.

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    PUNISHMENT OR BLESSING

    What does God declare concerning these Commandments?He says: I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers

    upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, and showingmercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.

    What is meant by this Declaration?God threatens to punish all those who transgress these commandments; we should

    therefore dread His displeaure and not act contrarily to these commandments. But Hepromises grace and every blessing to all who keep them; we should therefore love andtrust in him, and cheerfully do what he has commanded us.

    A JEALOUS GOD. God claims our highest love, and is grieved and offended if weturn our affections away from Him and disobey His law. He will punish or bless menaccording as they hate or love Him: 1 to the third and fourth generation of them that hatehim, and unto thousands of them that love Him and keep His commandments.

    God threatens to punish

    1. Whom? All those who transgress these commandments 2 by commission (doingwhat is forbidden) or omission (not doing what is commanded), whether it be

    transgression by deed or word or thought. Every transgression, great or small, is sin, andmakes men guilty and punishable. 3

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    Eternal Glory and Blessedness 27

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    Eternal Glory and Blessedness.

    A WARNING. An impenitent life will bring upon us God's punishment in time andeternity. We should therefore dread His displeasure, and not act contrarily to thesecommandments.

    AN ENCOURAGEMENT. A godly life will bring upon us God's blessing in time andeternity. We should therefore love and trust in Him, and cheerfully do what He hascommanded us.

    THE TEN COMMANDMENTS CONDEMN US; for we have broken them bythought, word, and deed. 28 We are not able to keep them perfectly. 29 Consequently we

    cannot be saved by them.30

    They are meant to show us our sinfulness,31

    to lead us torepentance, and to direct us to Christ for salvation. 32 We can be saved only throughHim. 33 We are taught concerning Christ, and confess our faith in Him in the Second Partof the Catechism which now follows, namely, The Creed.

    QUESTIONS.--1. What does God mean when He says that He is a jealous God? 2. Whom willGod punish? 3. Why will He punish? 4. How does He punish? 5. To whom does God promisegrace and blessing? 6. Why will He bless them? 7. How will He bless them? 8. What warning iscontained in the Conclusion of the Commandments? 9. What encouragement is contained in it?10. Why can we not be saved by the Ten Commandments? 11. What are the Commandments meantto do? 12. How only can we be saved? 13. Where are we taught concerning Christ?

    SCRIPTURE VERSES.--Rom. 1: 18. For thewrath of God is revealed from heaven against allungodliness and unrighteousness of men, whohold the truth in unrighteousness.

    Ezek. 18:4. The soul that sinneth, it shall die.

    Rom. 6:23. For the wages of sin is death; butthe gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ

    also to the Gentile.

    Rom. 3:23. For all have sinned, and come shortof the glory of God.

    Ps. 103:11. For as the heaven is high above theearth, so great is his mercy toward them that fearhim.

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    THE CREED, from the Latin Credo , I believe , means that which we as Christiansbelieve. The Creed given in our Catechism is the Apostles' Creed. It is so called, notbecause it was written by the apostles, but because it contains, in a brief summary, the

    doctrines which the apostles believed and taught. It grew out of the words of thebaptismal formula: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. 1 Ithas come down to us from the early centuries of the Church's history, and is her confession of faith . It should be our confession also; we should say from the heart, "Ibelieve in God, etc." There are

    TWO KINDS OF CREEDS or Confessions of Faith:--

    I. cumenical or Universal Creeds, which are accepted by the whole Christian

    Church throughout the world. They are1. The Apostles' Creed.

    2. The Nicene Creed.

    3. The Athanasian Creed.

    II. Particular Creeds or Confessions, which are accepted by the various Churches andDenominations as their distinctive confessions. Our Lutheran Confessions are:--

    1. The Augsburg Confession.

    THE TRINITY. There is only one God. 2 But He has revealed Himself to us as Father,

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    THE TRINITY. There is only one God. But He has revealed Himself to us as Father,Son and Holy Ghost, or Three in One, the Holy Trinity. The Father is God, the Son isGod and the Holy Ghost is God; and yet there are not three Gods but one God. This is a

    mystery which we cannot understand or explain. We must not expect with our finitemind to comprehend the infinite God. We simply accept the truth concerning God as Hehas made it known to us through His Word. He plainly tells us that He is one; for Hesays, I am the Lord thy God; thou shalt have no other gods before Me. 3 But He hasalso plainly revealed Himself as three; not as three Gods but as three who are one God.The three are expressly mentioned in Christ's command to His disciples, Go ye andmake disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of theSon and of the Holy Ghost. 4 The three were made known at the baptism of Jesus, whenthe Father spoke from heaven and said, This is my beloved Son in whom I am wellpleased, and the Holy Ghost descended on Jesus in the form of a dove. 5 Our salvation isthe work of the triune God. The Father sent His Son to save us; 6 the Son became manand died for us; 7 and the Holy Spirit applies redemption to our souls 8 through the Wordof God and the sacraments.

    QUESTIONS.--1. Define the word Creed. 2. Why is the Apostles' Creed so called? 3. How didit originate? 4. What two kinds of creeds are there? 5. Name the oecumenical creeds. 6. Name the

    particular creeds or confession